Lotus has announced they have built their 40,000th model based on the Small Car Platform that underpins the Elise, Exige, Europa, 2-Eleven and 340R.

Lotus has announced they have built their 40,000th model based on the Small Car Platform that underpins the Elise, Exige, Europa, 2-Eleven and 340R.

The landmark model was an Elise S 20th Anniversary Edition which features a supercharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that develops 217 bhp (162 kW) and 184 lb-ft (250 Nm) of torque. It enables the car to accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 4.6 seconds before hitting a top speed of 145 mph (237 km/h).

According to Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales, "The small car platform was a landmark development in 1995 and developed at the right time in the company’s history. Yet, in an environment of continuous improvement, while a correlation exists between today’s platform and the first of the lightweight, bonded and extruded aluminum structures, it has altered radically. It remains a benchmark in light weight and efficiency and is as advanced and market-leading today as it was 20 years ago.”

Gales went on to say the Small Car Platform will continue to be developed and form a "dependable base for future new models."